1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to strong seamless bells requiring no solder which may be used to provide high quality tone and to a method for making such bells which makes it possible to produce the bells at low cost.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bell instruments date back many years and exist in wide varieties of shape and design.
The basic structure of a bell has generally included a container, normally made of metal with a clapper element arranged therein. The bell comprises openings through which sound generated by the clapper leaves the container.
In order that the bell may be supported in a manner so as to provide minimal interference with the sound generating capabilities of the bell, a crown or ring is provided through which a string or the like may be inserted.
As may be seen from FIG. 1, one type of conventional device comprises two cup shaped hemispheres 1 and 2. A sound opening 3 is located at the bottom of hemisphere 2. Sound generated by a metal ball 4 which acts as a clapper leaves the container through the sound opening. The hemispheres are soldered together along their peripheral edges 1a and 2a. A support ring 5, through which a slip string or the like may be inserted, is soldered to hemisphere 1.
Alternatively, bells of the type shown in FIG. 2 have been produced in which two hemispheres 11 and 12 are seamed to one another by means of a protruded flange 11a being clamped around a flange 12a. In this embodiment a support ring or crown is provided by slitting hemisphere 11 and elevating the slit portion relative to a depressed portion to form an opening 16.
As will be readily noted, the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 require supplemental machining operations which add to the cost of the bells as well as detract from their appearance and tonal qualities. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 two soldering operations are necessary; one to secure the hemispheres to one another, the other to attach the ring 5 to the top of hemisphere 1. In addition to increasing cost, the soldering also affects the quality of the sound emitted by the bell due to the softness of the soldered portions and the clinging of the impure solder metal material. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the opening 6 diverts part of the sound leaving the bell from opening 13. Furthermore, the seam formed by flanges 11a and 12a are unsightly and also affect tonal quality.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another bell known in the art. In this embodiment, the bell 21 has walls which are seamless and are made of a single piece of metal. Such a bell is produced by dividing a portion of sheet metal into sections 22, 23, 24 and 25 in a manner such that each of these portions may be bent over and curved to form the bell with the clapper inside. However, in this embodiment, as was the case with the embodiment of FIG. 2, slits must be made in the upper portion of the bell so that a lengthy section 26 may be elevated from the bell body to provide an opening for a slip cord. As a result of opening 27, through which some sound escapes, as well as the criss-cross sound opening, the bell has poor echo qualities, thus resulting in lower sound quality. This bell, in addition to being unsightly, therefore, is unable to provide a clean and clear sound and the sound will be dull. Additionally, since sections 22-25 have been deformed the sound generated is further degraded.
FIG. 5 illustrates yet another type of bell which although it comprises only one straight slit as a sound opening is unsatisfactory in that portions 31 and 32 are soldered together after the clapper has been placed within the bell container. Once again, as a result of the soldering step, mass production becomes too costly and sound produced is of low quality due to the softness of the soldered metal sections as well as the clinging of the solder metal.